SAGINAW, MI — Just hours after the news of Dick Wagner's death was released Wednesday, July 30, Alice Cooper released a statement about his former songwriting partner and guitarist.

Wagner, who collaborated to write songs with Cooper such as "Only Women Bleed" and "You and Me," died Wednesday morning in an Arizona hospital at the age of 71.

The former Saginaw resident toured with Cooper, as well as the late Lou Reed, and his guitar skills can be heard on albums released by KISS and Peter Gabriel.

In Cooper's statement, released on his website, he called Wagner a friend who was "one of a kind."

Cooper's full statement:

"Even though we know it's inevitable, we never expect to suddenly lose close friends and collaborators. Dick Wagner and I shared as many laughs as we did hit records. He was one of a kind. He is irreplaceable. His brand of playing and writing is not seen anymore, and there are very few people that I enjoyed working with as much as I enjoyed working with Dick Wagner. A lot of my radio success in my solo career had to do with my relationship with Dick Wagner. Not just on stage, but in the studio and writing. Some of my biggest singles were ballads what I wrote with Dick Wagner. Most of "Welcome To My Nightmare" was written with Dick. There was just a magic in the way we wrote together. He was always able to find exactly the right chord to match perfectly with what I was doing. I think that we always think our friends will be around as long as we are, so to hear of Dick's passing comes as a sudden shock and an enormous loss for me, Rock N Roll and to his family."

When Alice Cooper visited Saginaw in August 2004, Wagner once again joined him on stage to play "School's Out." Wagner was living in Saginaw at the time.

"I love Alice, and I loved being on the stage with him again," Wagner told The Saginaw News following the performance. "When he called and asked about doing it, I jumped at the chance."

Starting in the 1960s, Wagner had an impact on the music scene in Saginaw. His bands the Bossmen and the Frost were known to play at the teen club Daniel's Den.

Saginaw musician Mike Brush said he remembers being a kid watching Wagner on stage.

"He was an icon and the first songwriter who I even knew of around here," Brush said.

Saginaw drummer Mark Dault, who is a member of the Matt Besey Band, got the chance to work with Wagner for a decade.

"I was his main drummer for 10 years when he moved back to Saginaw," Dault said.

Dault performed with Wagner from 1994 until 2004, also working with him at the Wagner Music Group and Studio.

"The guy was a genius," Dault said. "He was a great songwriter."

Dault called Wagner a "good friend" who helped him mature as a musician.

"Some of the highlights of my career came while working with him," Dault said.

Bo White, the owner of White's Bar in Saginaw, called Wagner an "icon" and "a mystery man."

Wagner played at White's Bar more than a dozen times throughout his musical career, according to White.

"He was a triple threat or more," White said.

White said Wagner left the world as a musician who was still trying to make an impact on the music scene.

"He was still out there slangin' his guitar," White said. "I really respect that."

— Jessica Shepherd is an entertainment reporter with MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact her at 989-996-0687, email her at jessica_shepherd@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook. You can also hear her Fridays at 8 a.m. on 102.5 WIOG's Nate and Rachel in the Morning.